Books like The Quiet War by Paul J. McAuley

Set in the twenty‑third century, Earth has been devastated by climate change and now looks back to a pre‑industrial Eden. Political power is concentrated in the hands of a handful of families and their green saints, while millions of people live in crowded cities or labor on massive projects aimed at restoring ecosystems. Across the solar system, the Outers—descendants of refugees from Earth's repressive regimes—have established self‑sufficient cities on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. These colonies are scientific utopias and last bastions of democratic tradition. Tensions rise as the newer generation of Outers seeks to expand beyond their orbital paradises and drive human evolution in new directions. On Earth, factions either call for pre‑emptive action against the Outers or seek to harness their scientific talent. Amid campaigns for peace, political intrigue, displays of military might, and espionage, the fragile détente between Earth and the Outer colonies teeters on the brink of war.

First publish date: 2009